We're at the end of spring break and it's been a surprisingly really great break! I'm really proud of Conor and myself for giving the girls a great time and some great memories. Conor took the girls mountain biking for the first time and then took them a couple more times. Holly and Greta had a couple play dates with friends. They cleaned and performed maintenance on their bikes. And we went hiking with friends. Next weekend, I'm going to drop them off in Idaho with their bikes and they're going to bike back to Spokane along the Centennial Trail. Conor and I are dividing and conquering and I often miss him by the time we get to the end of the day. It's a tricky balance having bigs and littles (and a Maeve island in the middle!), but we're doing our best!

Hiking with friends was really nice. It wasn't strenuous (although I was wiped out!) and we had a picnic lunch and a fire afterwards. It was one of those 1 hour hike, 3 hours socializing kind of adventures. And it was awesome!

When we arrived home, I changed into my pajamas, got into bed to feed Ira and didn't get out of bed until two and a half hours later. Ira and I snuggled and rested together and it was heavenly!

Some snapshots of my little man.

Ira's one month milestone snuck up fast! I can happily say that I have breathed in my boy completely. I haven't rushed to get back into the swing of things and I've rested and bonded with Ira. He's a dreamy little guy and I'm so glad he's a member of my family!

Ira is sleeping pretty well at night. I have no complaints. He'll get up to eat and go right back to sleep. He seems to be gaining and growing so well! Ira loves to be held. If he's awake and not being held, he cries. But as soon as we pick him up, he stops crying. Ira spends a lot of time in the wrap strapped to Conor or me. His disposition is the most like Greta as a baby. He knows what he wants! Ira and I often take naps together and as soon as I get up and out of the bed, he wakes up shortly after! He smiled for the first time on my birthday and has been pretty smiley since. He's cooed a couple times - so cute! Ira's wide eyes are very observant and it really feels like he sees us and knows us. His little nose is congested and he can snort with the best of them! Sometimes he sounds like he's purring, which also really reminds me of Greta as a baby. Ira is very familiar with saline mist and a suction bulb.

The other day Maeve said to me, "we have a big family!" And she couldn't be more right! We do have a big family and even though it is at times exhausting, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so grateful that, God-willing, I will be able to experience all the different ages and stages with Ira.

For the first couple weeks of his life, I took a ton of photos and then totally slowed down. Ira is a really darling baby, but he wants to be held all the time and his cry is really something. As a family, we've prioritized me getting enough sleep. And then there's just a lot of kids in the house right now! Conor and I are hustling and I think everyone is getting what they need. I don't like to think about when paternity leave ends.

I'm pretty happy with how these photos turned out. I'm far from a pro but I do enjoy taking photos of my baby!

Oh, I can't believe how much he's changed already!! Here are some snap shots of my little man over his first 2 weeks.